Switch mode power supplies and the use of solid-state power electronic devices that employ pulse-width modulation (PWM), as known to those of ordinary skill in the art, can cause frequencies on a power system well above and even below the fundamental power frequencies of 60 Hz. (U.S.) or 50 Hz (Europe). For example, solar inverters that employ PWM can impose frequencies from DC (0 Hz) up to over 100 KHz, sometimes with a combination of frequencies and waveshapes, such as a combination of a 60 Hz sine wave and also a 3 KHz triangle wave, that are seen by inductors associated with the device. These non-fundamental frequencies can create challenges in designing an inductor. For instance, purchasers of inductors generally prepare inductor specifications with high-level application requirements, such as inductance, current/frequency spectrum, power loss, etc. Actual detailed design of the inductors (core material, number of turns, size, etc.) was left up to the actual fabricators. Generally, these fabricators used rules of thumb based on 60 Hz. (or 50 Hz.) designs to estimate the losses due to eddy currents, and therefore do not accurately predict the actual power loss. Generally, the rules of thumb and fudge factors used when designing inductors are based on the inductor being exposed to only 60 Hz. or 50 Hz. frequencies. Inductors built based on 60 Hz. or 50 Hz. designs that are exposed to frequencies that are above (or even below) 60 Hz. or 50 Hz. can have unexpectedly high losses and cause excessive heating of the inductor. In some instances, such inductors must be reworked or scrapped and re-designed for failure to meet specifications.
Therefore, it is desired to have systems and methods of determining power loss in an inductor. It is further desired to have systems and methods of determining power loss in an inductor when the frequencies that the inductor is exposed to are not at the fundamental power frequency. Further, it is desired to be able to design such inductors with accurate estimation of power loss at the non-fundamental frequencies.